The Dodge Challenger as we know it is about to die. Driving one reminded me how sad I'll be once it's gone.

• The current Dodge Charger and Challenger will end production after the 2023 model year.
• Their sendoff includes seven special-edition models like the $70,000 Challenger Shakedown, which we drove recently.
• The Challenger is old, but the Shakedown is a reminder of how special — and timeless — it is.

I love the Dodge Challenger, even if I shouldn't.

In its current form, the Challenger is a gas-guzzling dinosaur that hasn't had an overhaul since the last Bush administration. Even when it was "new" in 2008, its lineage traced back to the 1990s Mercedes-Benz E-Class. It's old technology — and the older it gets, the more fond I am.